Disjointed Tigers drop third game

Heading into the weekend, the men's hockey team was looking at three games against Quinnipiac as a chance to reassert itself in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECACHL). But after Saturday's ugly 4-0 loss against the Bobcats, the Tigers will need to come together and get back to basics as they try to halt a three-game skid.

"We struggled playing as a team," junior forward Brandan Kushniruk said. "Not everybody was on the same page, and that really showed. We need to get back to our team goals, and that means coming together as a team."

Quinnipiac controlled play from the opening whistle of Saturday night's contest. The Bobcats outshot the Tigers 16-5 in the first period, but thanks to stellar goaltending from sophomore Zane Kalemba, the period ended in a scoreless tie.

"One thing that every good team has is a goaltender that is willing to stand on his head for a win," Kushniruk said. "Zane showed that on Saturday, and unfortunately we were unable to come through for him."

The second period started much like the first ended, with Quinnipiac getting the better of possession and play. The Tigers, who had not played since last Saturday's 6-3 loss to No. 8 Clarkson, looked sluggish, and the Bobcats took advantage.

With five minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the second period, Quinnipiac scored, hammering home a rebound in front of Kalemba. It was the only goal of the period, and Princeton went into the final frame having been outplayed, but still well within striking distance.

That changed just 3:38 into the third, when a Quinnipiac forward skated to the front of the Princeton net and beat Kalemba with a backhand shot inside the post. The Bobcats added two more goals in the period—one less than six minutes later, and a shorthanded empty-net goal in the final minute.

The loss highlighted problems on all sides of the puck for the Tigers, but nowhere more so than on offense. Coming into the game, the Tigers were averaging over three goals per game, but they were shut out for the first time this season.

"We need to get back to what we harp on everyday," Kushniruk said. "We also need to improve our neutral zone play. We are struggling to establish possession in the offensive zone, and this starts with getting the puck behind opposing defensemen at center ice."

Princeton opened its season with three straight victories — and was, at one point, No. 18 in the nation — but has since dropped its last three contests. Saturday's game against Quinnipiac was considered a non-conference loss, so it does not affect the conference standings, but the Tigers know that it is not a loss to be taken lightly.

"[The fact that the game was non-conference] does not matter to us at all," Kushniruk said. "We want to come out and play hard no matter what."

Though they have played two fewer games than most of the other teams in their conference, the Tigers are currently ranked ninth in the 12-team ECACHL. They will have a great opportunity to make up some ground this week, however, when they take on Quinnipiac at home Wednesday night, and then again on the road Saturday.